Anthony Correia is on the verge of replacing Ron Jans as FC Utrecht head coach. The Telstar boss has reached a broad agreement with De Galgenwaard’s board on a multi-year contract. A twist is that Correia will still lead Telstar in Saturday’s game against Utrecht.
Sources close to FC Utrecht have told De Telegraaf that talks with Telstar over Correia’s release clause will intensify once Saturday’s game is done. The 43-year-old coach is currently tied to Velsen-Zuid until mid-2027.
Telstar now stand to receive a club-record transfer fee; the current mark was set in 1996 when defender Arjan de Zeeuw moved to Barnsley for the equivalent of €375,000.
Correia recently confirmed to ESPN that he had been approached by FC Utrecht. “I hope that anyone with a sound mind realises that the focus is on Telstar. A question is asked and I give an honest answer. How people react to that is up to them,” he told the Haarlems Dagblad.
“I certainly don’t regret telling ESPN I had coffee with FC Utrecht. I know that when a question like that is asked, just as with AZ, people start speculating and more questions come. When we speak honestly, we don’t have to think twice later and can give the same answer,” the prospective new coach of FC Utrecht emphasised.
Correia describes FC Utrecht as “a wonderful club”. “I don’t need to lie. I’m focused on making Telstar better every day. I know it’s part of the job, but we often make a huge fuss about these things. I don’t like that.”
Gert Kruys, a former FC Utrecht player, told ESPN’s De Voetbalkantine on Friday that Correia is the leading candidate to replace Jans. “I get the impression he’s in pole position,” Kruys senior said, adding, “I read and hear all sorts of things, even inside the stadium.”
“He’s one of the strongest candidates—a young coach who is excelling at Telstar,” Kruys added, welcoming the arrival of the manager from the struggling Velsen-Zuid side. Rick Kruys (FC Volendam) and Paul Simonis (currently without a club) were also in the frame, but Correia now looks set to succeed Jans.